Very young domesticated animals are treated for various reasons. For example, the tails of young lambs are usually docked; the ears of small pigs are frequently marked, navels of both often need cleaning and trimming; teeth are clipped to prevent injury to other young animals from fighting; most young animals are vaccinated against certain diseases; and young male animals are often castrated. In all of these operations it is necessary to hold the animal securely and generally with the belly exposed.
A number of devices have been proposed to hold the animal. Probably the most common is a simple trough-like device into which the animal is laid. One person holds the animal's legs while another performs whatever procedure is necessary. Other devices include a tong-like means mounted on a post. The tong is engaged around the animal's abdomen just forward of the hind legs and the animals dangles head down. Still others include various devices to hold the animal in a trough, and others to hold the animal by its legs.
The devices which use the trough idea usually require some more or less elaborate devices to restrain the animal in the trough. These devices also are difficult to use for tail docking or ear marking because the upper part of the back and head of the animal rests in the trough.
Those devices which suspend the animal also require somewhat complicated means to grasp the body or legs of the animal. Further, none of the devices known to us has any restraint for the body of the animal beyond the suspension means.
By our invention, we provide a convenient and effective means of holding the animal in good restraint for all the operations noted above. The animal can be quickly placed in, and removed from the device so that routine procedures can be done rapidly on large numbers of animals. And special convenient holders are provided to hold the animal in proper position for easy castration. It may also be noted that our device is completely safe. No great pressure is put on any vital parts of the body of the young animal such as joints, abdomen, or chest cavity. Instead, there is a short time suspension by the neck which is a very safe method of holding.